Written by Mean Lean on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 11:22

I do like the Carling Cup at Ashburton grove, especially the early rounds. The atmosphere feels as close to Highbury as you are likely to get at our new stadium. It feels less like a sit down and wait to be entertained which is often the case in the Premier League, but the Carling cup feels more about entertaining ourselves until something happens on the pitch. We managed to get six tickets in a row, four Gooners, one Wimbledon and one Plymouth Argyle supporter. We were sat pretty close to the Shrewsbury supporters and the banter between the two sets of supporters was amusing. Mainly because many of the Arsenal fans in close proximity were teenagers and clearly not Arsenal regulars as their choice of lyrics rarely seemed to fit.

It is quite ironic that the Carling cup is often used for the young players to gain valuable match experience and to learn what to do in match situations while the same can be said for many of the young supporters who do not always get the chance to experience games in the larger competitions.

The team was close to what many expected, a mixture of fringe and young players. I would have preferred to have seen Santos given another run out to gain some experience and fitness, I was also hoping that Ryo Miyachi would start out wide but with Chamakh, Park and Chamberlain all starting for us, it left no room for the exciting winger.

I was concerned before kick off that having Park and Chamakh in a three man forward line would not provide us with the correct balance and that looked to be the case in the first half, that may well be because Ju Young Park is currently well off where he should be but it would have been nice to have started one of Chamakh or Park with two quick, talented dribblers out wide.

Chamakh could have scored a couple goals within the first ten minutes. His header from a Gibbs cross was tipped over remarkably well by the away goalkeeper. He also had a stabbed shot from close range rebuffed.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played within himself during the first half combining with Jenkinson on the right, holding back when Jenkinson pushed forward and always looking to find space. At one point I was watching him off the ball and was amazed at the amount of times he is looking for space, always looking at where his opponents and team mates are. It seems as if he possesses one of those recent phenomenon's  that hasn't existed before. A footballing brain. Of course this hadn't exsisted before Chris Waddle opened his trap.

Our early pressure could not turn into anything tangible because not enough Arsenal players were on top of their game. Park was largely on the periphery of the match while Chamakh could not provide enough cutting edge in our front line. Chamberlain showed some early promise with a few bursts of pace and early crosses into the box.

We had started with a 4-2-3-1 shape and then changed to 4-4-2 with Yossi Benayoun moving to the left when we went behind.

Most of the Arsenal team were not very impressive early on apart from one that stood head and shoulders above the rest. Francis Coquelin.

The tenacious, aggressive and cultured midfielder was the best player on the pitch by a country mile at that stage, snapping into tackles, bouncing up and chasing once more. Spraying cross-field passes with either foot. How many youngsters making their first start of the season have you seen spraying a cross-field pass with their weaker foot? That may not be much in the bigger scheme of things but it tells me that he is a player with terrific natural ability.

In the summer that we brought him in as a 17 year old, I watched him come on late at Barnet and loved his tenacious intercepting style. He seems to come from the same school of winning the ball early as Gael Clichy and Laurent Koscielny.

Emmanuel Frimpong's rise to the first team squad has erased the need to think much about that position but let us not forget that Coquelin was often seen as the better prospect when they played together at youth level. Coquelin also has a full year of first team experience at Lorient in France.

He made his full debut for Arsenal at Stoke as a right back and I was looking forward to watching him that day but everything went wrong for him, every pass, every tackle. He wasn't at all ready then. He looks more than ready now.

Arguably Coquelin's best contribution of the game came late on when he tracked a runner and made a last ditch tackle when the defence had vanished. It was the focus, determination and commitment that has been missing defensively at many times in the first team.

I hope he continues to progress because he could really be the real deeennnccchh midfield in the ranks.

Defensively we clearly did not look stable and every time Shrewsbury attacked, it looked as if they could make something happen so it was absolutely no surprise to me when they headed in the opener. I have seen the goal a few times and I still cannot quite make out what Johan Djourou was doing. I am not sure that he knows himself. He seemed to do everything but attack the cross.

I have come to the conclusion that Arsenal are actually being controlled by Johan Djourou. Our form has almost totally coincided with the form of Djourou. Last season Djourou was fighting to get fit after a whole season out, we shipped goals galore with Koscielny and Squillaci together until Djourou came in and steadied the ship. His partnership with Koscielny was first class. We went through an incredible run without defeat when Johan was in the side. Drogba was tucked away in his back pocket, Barcelona were repelled time and time again at the Emirates with Djourou and Koscielny both having stormers.

So much so that I remember many a fan saying that Vermaelen should have to play his way into the side when he returns and not just be given his place back.

Then came the Carling Cup and his injury in the FA Cup shortly after and both Djourou and Arsenal have been unrecognisable.

Kieran Gibbs had a very poor start to the game, misplacing passes and letting the ball roll under his foot for a throw on within minutes of the start but he managed to grab an equaliser at the back post winning a header and directing it past the keeper. A position that our attacking wide players should be more often when a cross comes in from the opposite side.

The second half then became the Chamberlain show. The youngster acting like a shy teenager after a couple shots of vodka in the second half. He came out of his shell and danced past his full back or dropped his shoulder and drove inside in between baffled Shrewsbury players.

I missed Chamberlain's goal while I was in long discussion with my mate about Chamberlain's natural crossing ability. Watching the replay on the big screen, I saw the youngster do what many Arsenal players fail to attempt, a gambling long range strike that fizzed low and partly through the goalkeeper who would have been murdered in the press if he was any Arsenal goalkeeper that does not wear no. 13.

In the first half Chamberlain was almost playing as a double up for Jenkinson, covering for his fullback but in the second half he was darting past players, shooting from range and playing 40 yard passes.

My point about our crossing went something along the lines of this. I don't need to put other Arsenal players down to praise Chamberlain but you will know which players past and present that I refer to. Time and time again we have watched Arsenal attacks end with an Arsenal player smashing the ball over the bar, cross low into the first defender, or whack the ball the opposite side out for a throw in.

It is great to finally have a player on our books who can put the ball in where it matters. Chamberlain brought along his own personal golf caddy to produce the full repertoire of crosses. Clipped, curved from a standing start, fizzed on the run and chipped he did it all and all in between the goalkeeper and defenders. It doesn't take an expert to know that this kid has end product, end product that many others do not have, let alone at that age.

I will not forget that Mirror headline when be bought Chamberlain, about how a majority of Arsenal fans are angry that we have purchased another kid. Chamberlain will not be just another kid, just as Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas were not just another kid at 16. Emmanuel Frimpong, Francis Coquelin, Ignasi Miquel and many others are talented young players. Alex Chamberlain is a special talent. There is a difference.

While I have been guilty of hyping up kids in the past, I feel in some cases it just cannot be helped. I try to give an honest assessment of how good I think a player is or will be. Whether that be over one game or twenty games. All we have seen so far is very good technical and physical attributes, we have still to find out about his mental toughness. Certainly one to keep an eye on and I suspect the only way will be up for this kid.

Reserve captain Ignasi Miquel looked the more senior partner at the heart of the defence and his game looks to be coming on in recent years. If Miquel and Djourou continue to head in the directions that each players are going then it will be a matter of time before Miquel is promoted to fourth choice defender in the first team squad.

Ryo Miyaichi came on late as we reverted back to 4-2-3-1, Ryo had replaced Park who will have better days once he finds his feet and fitness. It is a shame that Ryo didn't have more time to shine but his touch and skill was obvious from the get go.

Yossi Benayoun added a third with 12 minutes to go, slotting in after good work by substitute Oguzhan Ozaykup who was joined late in the game by Chucks Aneke.

Coquelin, Chamberlain and Miquel were the three players that stood out for me on the night, some were decent without being spectacular while others were pretty poor. The game was closer than it should have been given the distance in league position but let us not forget that our team was a mixed and match team thrown together with hardly any understanding of each other's game with many youngsters. A settled and organised side is almost more important than talent alone. That isn't to excuse many individual performances but more that the collective team did not function as we would have hoped before kick off.

We are in the draw for the next round, unlike another North London club while two if not three youngsters have shown us what they can do. Plenty of work to be done for many others.

I am looking forward to the next round for some more Carling cup fun.

Man of the match: Francis Coquelin

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Comments (23)

• 21-Sep-2011 13:26 | | pika
  

  hey mean is there no option for you as site provider to get the ip addresses of these spectrums and muks and give them to us ?
  
  

• 21-Sep-2011 13:29 | | gary
  

  Agree with you on Coquelin..and remember that game at Stoke..Ox does look the part but probably won't make an impact till next season earliest

• 21-Sep-2011 13:31 | | Omomo14
  

  Top stuff ML.
  
  Enjoyed your piece today. Glad we can talk positively about our young talents.
  
  Like I said on twitter yesterday, the only thing missing from Sagna's locker is puting a fine ball in for our attackers to feed on, hopefully he learns from the naturals(AOC and Jenkinson) in our camp.
  
  Was quite surprised I didn't hear a lot of talk about Frimpong seeing that he started the game along side Coquelin. I rate him and with time we would see the best of him. Coquelin on the other hand is a huge talent. Watched him play against UTD and even though we lost he was among the positives. We collapsed imediately he was substituted when the scores was still 3-1.
  
  All in all good victory for us, hopefully we can build on it.

• 21-Sep-2011 14:23 | | Vinod  - Miquel and Djourou
  

  I have not seen any game in which Djourou performed decently (we in India misses certain matches due to telecasting preferences of ESPN).But times again and again I have seen Djourou inviting goals and even shooting self goals.When ever I see him on the pitch I am sure we are in trouble,no matter how many we score.Fore that fact certain players whom I wonder why they possess Wenger's confidence even after repeated mistakes are no longer in the team now(including one ex-captain-CB) except this man and two mid fielders(one injured & the other already shown his fondness for red cards &self goals) .I have watched Ignasi Miquel only 3 times(on TV) and to me he is a good player with great future and surely far ahead of Djourou.

• 21-Sep-2011 15:10 | | Gary Coulson  - Djourou's ability
  

  Johan Djourou, is exactly the sort of player we should all be grateful for at The Arsenal. Quick and powerful, he has had some storming games for us. The problem lies with a lack of defensive coaching as a unit. Arsene Wenger inherited the best ever defence, then apart from Sol Campbell never bought a decent central defender until TV5. The lack of experience in midfield exposes a defence that is not drilled as a unit, so people that know little about football then blame the defence. This is AW's fault, he should swallow his pride (never gonna happen), and bring George Graham back into the club. Get GG to sort the defence, and with this squad, I truly believe we could go somewhere.

• 21-Sep-2011 15:29 | | TC  - Coquelin
  

  I remember when I first saw Paul Davis in the juniors,(sorry younger people) I also remember the first time I saw Jack Wilshire receive a volleyed pass on the outside of his foot down at Barnet's Underhill and I also remember the first time I saw saw Francis Coquelin (also at Barnet). In each case I thought - here we go!
  
  I was most disappointed when he (Coquelin) was loaned out last season and Eastmond somehow got promoted over him as the 'junior possible'.
  
  Maybe going on loan to France is what going to University used to be about and now he is in the work place proper there will be accelerated promotion and involvement.
  
  I really thought he was special last night showing the little extra spark with quickness of mind and foot. He was very brave in some challenges as well.
  
  Frimpong was good as well but I felt the FC has maybe edged ahead of him.
  
  I honestly feel there is a future for these two as a midfield pairing as I have become tired of Song's rather casual and slow approach in midfield. I have always been a big supporter of Song even in the bad times but I feel he lets himself down with sloppy challenges, loose passing and just being too casual. Lets not also forget his pathetic stamp on Barton caused us 3 missed matches when we were already down on numbers. I still marvel at the way Song keeps off several players at one time but his errors ruin the good stuff for me.
  
  Maybe its just me but with FC and Frimpong there is a quicker tempo to moving the ball which for the last few years has been our downfall in playing teams at the Emirates because Song is a roller passer and it gives too much time for the opposition to work around the ball and get goal side. In our great games of recent years they always seem to be games where we were faster passing - that's why we water the pitch before hand isn't it? Whereas frustrating games are where we have passed the ball too slow and just simply struggled to break down a defence of numbers. Maybe with FC and Frimpong along with a winger or two who can now beat a man and cross the ball we have a better chance because we have more variation even a Plan B maybe!
  
  Anyways I have more hope again after last night!

• 21-Sep-2011 15:52 | | richie
  

  Good solid points you´ve made about our ball movement being faster with Coquelin and Frimpong, also Songs lack of speed of pass.

• 21-Sep-2011 16:03 | | richie  - Not ture GC
  

  Gary C sorry Gooner but that ain´t true! The whole back 5 of the invincibles were Wenger signings. None were inherited, thats something that critic´s of Arsene Wenger often trot out, only Keown was still playing for us and he only got 11 outings that season mostly as a sub. Mad Jens Lauren,Campbell, Toure & Cole were the main stays and that was by far the most success back 5 all from Wenger.
  Its the most successful defence the prem has seen and there wasn´t a defensive coach anywhere to be seen apart from AW.

• 21-Sep-2011 16:05 | | richie  - Active Passive offside
  

  Our old back 4 wouldn´t be able to cope with the rule changes so how would they coach defence now?

• 21-Sep-2011 18:36 | | Man United Killer  - Agree with Richie..but..
  

  Richie you make some solid points except for the part that you want to give credit to Wenger for the defenders you listed.If he did it then why cant you do it now.I think the defenders of that era had more heart and sense of responsibility than what we generally see in defenders these days.Another thing that might put us on the same page is that the pace of the game is much faster these days than it was then plus it has become much more complicated too-but why hasn't our defending developed hand in hand with the dynamism of the game then?
  Clichy has mentioned that we dont train defensively.I am not sure that he means we dont have any defending training but it may be nothing out of the ordinary.A solid team is built on not attack only but a solid defence and a battling midfield.From the last couple of games (including some games from last season) , I have to give credit to some of our midfielders for improved defensive work-evne Arshavin on many occassions.
  From where I stand,I think Arsene is done and dusted Richie.The man has no more to offer.Unless of course he is ready to make some changes in our playing style (which has become ineffectual for most part-lots of possession and nothing to show for it) and sign some real quality players.I dont think we are that far away..but with the way Wenger is managing this so far,we are so close and yet so far.

• 21-Sep-2011 18:44 | | Man United Killer  - Djourou
  

  Djourou? Really?Either he is your brother and you are looking out for him or you are watching different Arsenal games my friend.For a player who has had the best development opportunites at Arsenal for the past 9 years (since 15) he is as rubbish as they come.Pace counts for nothing if you have little or no intelligence on the field.
  Am sure Walcott will have a few things to say about that.Speaking of Walcott, he will be more useful through the middle.Wasted on the flanks.

• 21-Sep-2011 18:50 | | Passenal
  

  So two young midfielders have a reasonably good game against league 2 opposition and suddenly they are better than Alex Song? I can only assume the unfair criticism comes from people who slaughtered 17 year old Song and cannot accept that he proved them wrong. He is 23 years old so still has room to develop and he has played a blinder in much more important matches and against much tougher opposition than we faced last night.

• 21-Sep-2011 18:57 | | Man United Killer  - calling a spade a spade.
  

  Currently, all these players are not good enough to be our first team DMs period!Maybe things will get better in the future-but we dont know

• 21-Sep-2011 23:22 | | pika  - calling a saddo a saddo
  

  youre a very sad person muk.
  
  
  10 years ago when older people would tell me the phrase "the glass is either half full or half empty depending how you look at it" i wanted to punch them. what a boring cliche i raged.
  
  reading and sensing your overzealous eagerness to present arsenal as being in a state of catatonic despair and paralysis with arsene wenger, proves to me that the above phrase is 100% correct and applicable to your case.
  
  arsenal, between 1953 and 1989 ...thats 36 years....had only a double in 70-71 to show for it...and a league cup or something ridiculous. do you believe than any serious arsenal fan would ever complain about 6? of course not. only if they are unreasonable or unknowldegable of their club;s true history.

• 22-Sep-2011 01:38 | | Man United Killer  - sad person?
  

  Pika, you really are a bad judge of character.I hope you dont have a profession of doing that.90% percent of people I know always wonder what the secret to my happy demeanor is.So sad?errr..I am sorry to disappoint you but that is not me.
  Now to sports.You speak of 1953 and Arsenal's days of yore.You failed to mention that back in those days 1.we were not paying managers fortunes to manager our club 2.we were not paying overrated kids with no heart huge sums of money (only for them to swap the Arsenal colors for those of our closest rivals when they realize that they are not going to win a thing with Arsenal) 3. A season ticket did not cost you a substantial cut of your hard earned money 4. Football is dynamic and the club have come a long way and so have our expectations.The list goes on.I cant be bothered to go on...because you are probably too young to understand.Did these older people not tell you the whole story?
  If my reluctance to accept a substandard Arsenal makes me a bad fan then so be it.I don't lean on past glories.It the mark of a loser-especially when they lean on past glories because they are not what they used to be.So,FRUSTRATED that my beloved Arsenal (who I still watch every weekend from the stands by the way) is not doing well-yes I am FRUSTRATED..but sad person because of that?err..no..because nothing last forever.Wenger will leave one day..and I will throw a party..the good news for you is that, you will be invited too....you are clueless.

• 22-Sep-2011 08:58 | | pika
  

  no i aint a bad judge of character at all mate.
  
  your arguement about the difference in payment of managers in 53 and now is stupid ...back in 53 i could buy a house for 50 p ( figure of speech) today with 50 p i cant even buy a straw to drink my coca cola.
  
  also by referring to them period i wanted to remind you that we were never the kind of club for you to have aspirations of domination and champiosn league and back to back titles...never in arsenal history has such a thing ever happened.
  
  these overpaid kids you talk about ..who are they ..van persie is on 70 k per week our highest earner. if you have aproblem with the money footballers earn that aint wenger;s fault..more like the market. and in the end of the day a football player has 12-15 years to make the most of it. also players have woken up in our modern world..they knwo what profits the clubs make and demand accordingly. zidanne cost as much as an american f-16 stealth aircraft back in the 2000s. was he not worth it?
  
  the season ticket or any ticket ..you buy it as a sgesture of love and support for your club. if youre looking for a return then your purchase is more like an investment waiting the dividents , trophies. i have never seen anyone form the arsenal club board manager or anybody else forcing anyonw to buy a ticket neither sticking a gun to your head saying buy it! . yu do it if you want to.
  
  football is dynamic but your club, my club does not share the dynamics of a chelsea or a manchester united. why becuase we have a stadium to consider while they dont have such cosndierations and can focus all their expenditures on players and winnign titles. we as a club can not do that yet.
  
  no i aint too young understand ..im old enough to remember arsenal finishing 7th and 12th with a bunch of alcoholics who had lost their purpose as footballers and a club with no leadership or direction, a feather in the wind.
  
  
  youhave no right to copmplain about a substandard arsenal cause arsenals standard ever since our beggining has been mid table mediocrity ..the occasional cup success and a maybe a champions title every decade in average, a stat that wenger improved if we consider that the club went 36 years with nothing to show other than a double. therefore your complaints have to do with teh high standards wenger set in his early tenor ..in other words you have been spoilt and you thought that thats teh way its gonna be forever. well mate no it aitn..especially when as a club we ve been through our biggest transition in histroy and are self financed. we are autonomous. can you not appreciate that?
  
  
  yes of course you are sad. instead of backing your team in its most difficult momments youd rather critisise them and complain and moan about standards. as if arsenal was ever a real madrid and they are failing you now you see. instead oif being proud that we have a manager who can generate football youwant us to doa city or a chelsea so as we arent left behind. the principles under wenger works and arsenal you dont share them ...you want somehting else. well sorry mate ...they know how to run football clubs way better than you.
  
  clueless is you who expects a team that has other things in mind ( like repaying their new stadium) to win titles with a bunhc of younsgters and second rate buys off the teams which start tehir season specifically to win the legaue or the champions league...you are putting your club in the same boat as others who have budgets ten times what arsenal has. chelsea and manchester MUST win a title because they spend FORTUNES for them. we dont pay fortunes we cant afford them and even if say we could afford them there is no point using them now when all our bids will be shat upon as ssons as a manchester or city or chelsea fax comes in. its like going to play poker with all your savings against sharks ..youd be an idiot on a suicide mission.
  
  instead of risking their money now ...and spending money gives you no guarantees youll win anything..and because they also have a stadium to consider ..they will collect and collect and collect and wait for the momment when their opponents can not spend any more and take advanatge. going into head to head competition with them is suicide...you prepare you stand on your feet as long as you can and when the rest start fading away youre there to take advanatge...like in all businesses.
  
  now we cant have morons and cretins and shortsighted fools moaning and complaining all the time ...either you can see what arsenal is against and you take pride in the fact we do it on our own and you support it ...or you dont in which case youre a negative factor for this team.

• 22-Sep-2011 12:16 | | melcfromfromfinsburypark
  

  TC, you are spot on about sometimes being able to tell straight away whether or not a young player will make it. Cesc and Jack stood out head and shoulders when they first appeared and on Tuesday, for me, Ox was almost the same. Even ignoring his trickery and ability to go past his man he has phenomanal passing ability and he put in so many great crosses many of them during a first half when he was playing more conservatively. His decision making looked excellent and he barely wasted the ball.
  
  I really do think he will have a big impact on the team and probably in the next couple of months. He is absolute class.
  
  And Coquelin does look to be a much more accomplished player than dench. He is very mobile and technically accomplished and I am sure he looks broader than he did last season against Stoke, the sort of player who in future years can impose his physique on the game.

• 22-Sep-2011 16:56 | | Man United Killer
  

  I do not see any reason why you are starting to throw insults around..and you are in the habit of giving yourself a thumbs up when you type.hmm...no need to debate with a person like you..it wont go anywhere

• 22-Sep-2011 19:24 | | IndiGooner  - papa Pika
  

  Run manure killa you daddy pika just spanked the hell out of you! no go get spectrum... by what you say clubs like suprs sould have no fans at all... 50 years and nothing... stop moaning ang get behind the club our players need us and you included in this hour.. be the 12th man in the stands.. or rather be a man and get behnd our beloved Arsenal..
  QQ.. when was the last time you appereciated an Arsenal player forget Wenger(In Wenger I trust)?
  Do you really think we should but players like Torres?
  Please dont twist comments like clichy says we dont do defensive practise.. he said that we dont do nasty tackle read..
  http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/07/15/2575779/ james-milner-gael-clichy-surprised-by-training-intensity-at
  
  The reason that we are suffering is purely communication gap between first team players and it will only get better.
  
  Agreed that Djourou and few other players had a dip in form but to call them shit is incorrect. JD and Kons player really well for large part of the season. Its when 4th choice Squallachi came for rotation matters became grim.
  
  
  last thing remember Form is Temp class is Forever and Arsenal is class apart from many others.

• 23-Sep-2011 15:19 | | Spectrum
  

  richie - "and there wasn´t a defensive coach anywhere to be seen apart from AW. "
  Yes, those were the days. Good and exciting times, no doubt. 49 matches unbeaten was a fantastic achievement. When we had a relatively fresh, enthusiastic man in charge.
  Just underlines how far Wenger has declined since then, huh ? How he's no longer the manager he was. Sorry, A.K.B.'s, I know you don't want to face it, but that's the unpalatable truth. The man's lost what he had. You don't want to admit it, because you put your feelings for the man ahead of recent and current REALITY. It's time to let go of the apron strings, and move on. Take a dispassionate view ( i.e. detach your feelings from the facts ).
  "******************"

• 24-Sep-2011 14:56 | | Man United Killer
  

  You are obviously watching a different Djourou.For a player who is supposed to have been groomed for almost 10 years in one of the best youth systems, if you think he is good, then you have to think again.Djourou is the traditional fast and foolish player..lots of pace but little intelligence on the field ..you speak of him having some good games.of course. .even Denilson and Senderos had their days.Actually, I can still vividly remember how Senderos single handedly kept us in a tie against Milan.
  
  Finally I agree with you on the form and class statement but remember,that teams like Leeds and New castle were once 'class'.so you see..at least you have to put in some work to maintain your class..currently, we are slacking off .

• 25-Sep-2011 03:01 | | pika
  

  I do not see any reason why you are starting to throw insults around..
  
  because you insult my club and manager by thinking that you or any other amateur idiot out there can judge him doubt him question him and undermine him or his work for us.
  
  and no you cant have a debate with me on arsenal matters cause i will make a mug out of you. too bad it aint live to see you walk out the room with a red face.
  
  if you aint proud of what he has done for arsenal and the principles and ethos he has set down then youre no real gunner and as far as im concerend i can treat you and your alike minded "arsenal fans" as ridiculous people who i can laugh at.

• 25-Sep-2011 11:49 | | Podge
  

  you must have missed every game between december and feb last season then because he was fantastic.Arguably the best centre back in the prem between our league loss to ManU and carling cup final. He is on paper the perfect centre back huge physical presence has pace and is technically a brilliant defender who is always calm in possession and able to pick a pass forward. Highlights last season were when he completely shut out Drogba and Tevez. I don't know what happened to him after he injured his shoulder but he regressed spectacularly. An in form Djourou is an asset to any side getting him back to his best is vital for Arsenal this season.

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